New Delhi

India and Kuwait are set to firm up ties with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a first by an Indian prime minister to the West Asian country in 43 years. The last visit to Kuwait was by the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1981.

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Announcing the visit, India's Ministry of External Affairs earlier this week said, "India and Kuwait share traditionally close and friendly relations which are rooted in history and have been underpinned by economic and strong people to people linkages...The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the multifaceted ties between India and Kuwait."

During the visit on 21st-2nd December, Modi will hold discussions with the leadership of Kuwait. 

Several pillars to the ties, from trade to history to diaspora, will be on focus. 

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History of India-Kuwait relations

India and Kuwait formally established ties in 1961, but the relationship goes back in history. Pre-oil Kuwait had significant maritime trade with India which was the backbone of its economy.

Wooden dhows from Kuwait used to come to India, carrying with it pearls. Arabian horses and pearls were traded for wood, cereals, clothes and spices. The Indian rupee remained legal tender in Kuwait until 1961.

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Political ties between India and Kuwait 

Initially, after establishment of ties in 1961, Delhi was represented by a Trade Commissioner. From the Indian side, Vice President Dr Zakir Husain (1965), Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (1981) and Vice President Hamid Ansari (2009) visited the country.

From Kuwait, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah (1964), Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1980) and again in 1983 (for the NAM Summit); Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (2006); Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (2013) visited India.

The last high-level visit from either side was that of the Prime Minister of Kuwait to India in 2013.

PM Modi and Kuwait’s Crown Prince met on the sidelines of UNGA in September 2024.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar travelled to Kuwait on 18 August 2024, while Kuwait FM Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya travelled to India earlier this month.

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During Yahya's visit, he called on Modi as well, and it was during this visit that the Indian PM was invited to the country.

Both foreign ministers also met on the sidelines of first India-GCC Strategic Dialogue Committee meeting in Riyadh on 9 September 2024.

Trade ties between India and Kuwait

Kuwait is among India’s top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in FY 2023-24.

Kuwait is India’s 6th largest crude supplier, meeting 3 per cent of the country’s energy needs.

Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceed USD 10 billion.

Indian diaspora in Kuwait

Indians form the largest expatriate community in Kuwait, numbering around 1 million and  present across various sectors.

The Indian community is the ‘living bridge’ between the two countries. Kuwait's national radio in April this year launched a weekly Hindi radio programme. A Hindi Chair at the Gulf University for Science and Technology was established in September of this year.

Also read: Modi to visit Kuwait from Dec 21-22, marking first trip of Indian PM to nation in 43 years

Over 200 Indian associations actively organise socio-cultural and humanitarian initiatives.

There are 26 CBSE-affiliated schools serving over 60,000 students, predominantly of Indian origin.

The two nations signed an MoU on recruitment of domestic workers in 2021, which would streamline their recruitment process and provide them with legal protections.

Cultural events like ‘Splendors of India’ and ‘Namaste Kuwait’ (2022), ‘Festival of India’ (2023) have taken place in the country. 

During the visit, PM Modi will be addressing the diaspora.

Energy ties between India and Kuwait

Kuwait is one of India's top suppliers of crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). During FY 2023-24, Kuwait was the 9th largest oil supplier with about 3 per cent of India’s total energy needs.

The two sides have a Joint Working Group on Hydrocarbons, a mechanism to ensure a stable energy partnership.

There's an ongoing interest from Kuwait to invest in India's energy sector and Strategic Petroleum Reserves.

Geopolitical impact

The upcoming visit of PM Modi to Kuwait will be closely watched since it comes at a time when West Asia has been in turmoil.

India is expected to restate its policy on Palestine. Delhi has supported a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue. This refers to  the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine within secure and recognised borders, living side by side in peace with Israel.

Modi's visit is also the first vby an Indian PM to the country since Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The stance of Delhi back then had irked Kuwait.

PM Modi's visit to West Asia since 2014

PM Modi has already travelled to several West Asian countries since 2014, when he first took charge.

These include UAE to which he travelled the maximum number of times in the region: 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024.

Other places he has travelled in the region include, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Israel and Palestinian territories.

Several of these have conferred PM Modi their highest awards, which include Saudi Arabia in 2016, UAE in 2019 and Palestine in 2018.